APLA Health co-sponsored and helped pass Senate Bill 159, the first law of its kind in the nation to authorize pharmacists to furnish PrEP and PEP without a physician prescription. The legislation also prohibits insurance companies from requiring patients to obtain prior authorization before using their insurance benefits to obtain these critical HIV prevention medications.
“We cannot end the HIV epidemic until we ensure that all Californians have access to PrEP and PEP,” said APLA Health Director of HIV Prevention Services Terry Smith. “SB 159 will help to increase awareness of PrEP and PEP, make it easier for people to access these medications from trusted community pharmacists and prevent insurance delays that can put people at greater risk of acquiring HIV.”
